The Bangalore School of Music (BSM) Chamber Orchestra is the principal bowed-string ensemble of the BSM. Formerly directed and conducted by Mr. V Narayanaswamy for over twenty years, it is now led and trained by its principal violinist Dr Anant Kamath. Our fourteen-piece ensemble is comprised almost entirely of non-career-musicians from all walks of life who come together and commit ourselves to meeting and training every week for the love of music and for benefiting from the immense value of string ensemble playing. Occasionally, professional musicians from India and abroad join the orchestra for brief visiting periods, including even woodwind and brass players, with whom there is mutual benefit and cultural exchange.

 
The ensemble offers concerts around thrice a year, and has, over the years, performed a variety of music across the centuries and across styles to consistently delighted audiences. Our repertoire includes Gluck, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Holst, and several others in the classical realm; while we also ensure a range of lighter pieces from film scores and popular music in our concerts.

One of the highlights of the orchestra is the visible age range of its members – we are comprised of young players aged fourteen, right up to seasoned members aged over sixty-five, all of whom enjoy learning from one another, sharing ideas on technical sophistication as well as reflections on music.